Welcome to BEAN!

The Biodiversity Education and Awareness Network (BEAN) is a network of organizations working together to promote an increased awareness and understanding of biodiversity. Our members are from formal and non-formal education, environmental and conservation sectors, government and private industries. We are also a part of the Ontario Biodiversity Council, where we help to meet the goals of the Ontario Biodiversity Strategy through providing an increased awareness and understanding of biodiversity, its benefits and threats, and what each of us can do to support it. Our goal is to inspire and empower people to value, protect, and improve biodiversity!

How do we do that?

BEAN also supports International Day of Biodiversity events in the province by providing micro-grants up to $500 for organizations that are engaging Ontario communities in the conservation of biodiversity. This year alone we supported 25 events which included BioBlitz’s, invasive species removals, pollinator garden plantings, and educational outreach events! We provide a calendar on our website of biodiversity and education-related events in Ontario. All of the events supported by our grant program, as well as other event submissions, are posted on the calendar so that others can find an event in their area!

BEAN promotes biodiversity in the classroom by developing biodiversity-themed resources for educators that are linked to the Ontario curriculum. Educators have a vital role to play ensuring that people, especially youth, understand biodiversity and their roles in conserving and improving it! Kids who learn about nature are likely to have a higher understanding and appreciation and are more likely to protect it.

We love seeing organizations promoting and supporting biodiversity! BEAN aims to assists others where possible in program development and delivery. BEAN is proud to be a founding partner of the Ontario Children’s Outdoor Charter. This initiative promotes getting kids outside to discover the wonders of nature and provides ideas to get children into the outdoors! The Charter provides a list of activities that every child in Ontario should have the opportunity to do outside. How many activities can you cross off the list?

Our new BEAN blog tells the stories of those who are supporting biodiversity in Ontario. There are so many people fighting the good fight for biodiversity in so many different ways and we aim to spread awareness about their work promoting biodiversity into the everyday lives of Ontario communities! Do you have a story to tell about the work that you are doing for biodiversity? Contact us and we can get it out there!

So, biodiversity?

It’s the variety of all life on earth! We depend on healthy ecosystems and diversity of living things for all of our needs. We need biodiversity for the air we breathe, the water we drink, the soils in which we grow our food, and the lands and waters that sustain us. It’s a big deal, we need to protect it, and we’re here to help!

Jordan McArthur

Coordinator, Biodiversity Education and Awareness Network (BEAN)

Jordan is the coordinator of BEAN, as well as a Conservation Education Liaison with the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters at the OFAH | Mario Cortellucci Hunting and Fishing Heritage Centre. In both roles, she focuses on engagement and education with the public and believes that the more we know about biodiversity and nature in general, the greater our appreciation and willingness to protect it will be.